Where to buy a Baseball bat blank

[Brian Brown]

My neighbor is all about baseball. He wants to make a baseball bat for his senior project. Where would he find a low cost ash BB blank? I have seen a few at Woodcraft, but they are $30- $39. He has never turned, so it would be good if he could get 2 for that price. That way if the first one doesn't work out, he could try a second. Any suggestions?

[Tom Hamilton D'ville, GA]

Google's your friend:

https://www.google.com/search?q=baseball+bat+blanks&rlz=1C9BKJA_enUS711US711&oq=baseball+bat+blanks&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l3.4631j0j7&hl=en-US&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8

I've made a number of decorative/commemorative bats from local wood. Walnut, Cherry etc all look great in an office or a kids bedroom.

[Robin Frierson]

Wall lumber has ash blanks for $14 apiece. They also make good table legs.

http://www.walllumber.com/premier.asp

[Scott Hackler]

Consider this Brian, the bat is likely NOT going to be used in a game. Maybe a whack of two but a nice project will probably be displayed in his house. So.... I would think a non treated 4x4 post will be your best bet. Think of a square stair post. That might help source it from the big box places.

[Reed Gray]

If you do find a supplier, if you buy a pallet load, you can get them for about $15 each, which would include shipping costs. Used to be a place/business called Gone Batty or some thing like that, but last time I googled him, he didn't show up.

robo hippy

[Matt Evans]

ebay.

Green Valley Wood Products, sellers user id is monitorseller, I think. I've bought plenty off him, mostly just make the two hour drive to his sawmill in Brazil though.

Good lumber, decent prices.

He has his own site as well:
http://www.gvwp.net/online-store/!/WHITE-ASH-BASEBALL-BAT-BLANK/p/54360028

[roger wiegand]

A diversion-- Do you turn bats from stock that's been split rather than sawn to ensure that the grain runs the length of the bat? Judging from the way bats break, I would guess not, and wonder why not.

[Jeramie Johnson]

You could also glue up scraps for his testing, and then do a finished piece after he gets the hang of it. Maybe a glue up also, as it would be a touch not seen often.

http://makezine.com/2015/10/16/darbin-orvar-a-baseball-bat-from-rough-lumber/

[Robert Henrickson]

A diversion-- Do you turn bats from stock that's been split rather than sawn to ensure that the grain runs the length of the bat? Judging from the way bats break, I would guess not, and wonder why not.

According to the tour at the Louisville Slugger factory, they are hollow-core drilled out of 37" logs. If you look at bats -- particularly ash ones where grain is easily read -- it is clear that the grain does run the length of the bat. There are two reasons bats break -- the handle portion is now made absurdly thin, and maple is not really a good wood for bats. When you see a bat explode, it is almost certainly maple. Ash is far more appropriate in its character for use in bats, and is the traditional wood. I became aware of how much thinner bat handles have gotten when I found the bats I used ca 1961-62 (Little League model "Mickey Mantle" and "Roger Maris"). The handles are markedly thicker. I used them as models for turning ash bats for my grandson.

[John K Jordan]

My neighbor is all about baseball. He wants to make a baseball bat for his senior project. Where would he find a low cost ash BB blank? I have seen a few at Woodcraft, but they are $30- $39. He has never turned, so it would be good if he could get 2 for that price. That way if the first one doesn't work out, he could try a second. Any suggestions?

Questions:

What kind of senior project?
Can it be artistic?
Does it want it to be (or does it have to be) full sized?
Does it have to be made of ash, or even from a wood commonly used for bats that smack baseballs? One from Cedar would look great!
Could it even be glued up from 4/4 or 8/4 boards? Or even laminated from contrasting woods?

JKJ

[Brian Brown]

The high schools here require a senior project for graduation. The projects can be almost anything, they are just designed to build confidence and force the students to speak publicly about the projects. In this case he chose to make a bat. I think the bat could be artistic, however, he really wants to use it when he plays, so any artistic work would have to be in the finish. He wants to make a bat that is MLB legal. I asked if he wanted ash or maple, and he said that he definitely wanted ash. I sent him some links that I found online, and those that were suggested here. I'll let him make a choice of the options, and buy the blank. Then.... we turn. Thanks to everyone who made suggestions here. I have never made a bat, so they helped me get started.

[John Sanford]

Have you checked your local hardwood / cabinet shop supplier? Down here there is a place that serves the cabinet trade primarily and hobbyists as an afterthought. They're called Timberline / Johnson Bros (I'm not really sure which it is), and they have a bin of bat blanks. (go ahead, say it three times fast. you know you want to).